This laboratory study fed honey bee foragers sugar solutions containing selenate, selenomethionine or methionine and measured taste responses, sucrose responsiveness and survival. Bees did not avoid selenate, became less responsive to sugar after eating it, and died more often under chronic selenate dosing. Selenomethionine raised mortality only at the highest concentration.
Key numbers
- Treatments were dissolved in 1 M sucrose at 0, 0.6, 6, 60, 600 and 6000 mg/L (Methods).
- This paper reports no numerical findings relevant to human selenium exposure.
Methods (brief)
Proboscis extension reflex tests with antennal and proboscis stimulation, sucrose response thresholds two hours after feeding, and single-dose and chronic mortality assays.
Evidence fitness
Off-topic for dietary exposure. The paper does not support dietary exposure or toxicity claims for people; it is ecological context showing that the chemical form of selenium changes toxicity in an insect.
Limitations
Laboratory conditions; one colony; field nectar concentrations vary widely.
Related evidence
Update history
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